Diving doll toy



Sept. 23, 1958 R. c. BURT DIVING DOLL TOY Filed April 18, 1955 INVENTOR.

flay 63 Ever United States Patent Ofi'ice Patented Sept. 23, 1958 DIVING DOLL TOY Roy C. Burt, Inglewood, Calif. Application April 18, 1955, Serial No. 501,770 11 Claims. (Cl. 4692) This invention relates to and has as its primary object the provision of a spring actuated toy for projecting a doll into a basin of water in a manner simulating diving of a. human being.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a toy of the character described wherein the doll, after entering the water, moves in a manner simulating a person walking. i

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a toy of the character described which is relatively simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and which may be easily partially disassembled to facilitate compact packaging and storage.

These and other objects of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the: annexed drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the toy of this invention;

-Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken substantially along line 2-2 of Fig. i;

Fig. 3 is a section taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation, partially in section, of a doll for use withthe present toy.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, denotes a supporting base, of rectangular shape, to be supported on a floor or table and including four normally vertical side walls 11 and a fiat, normally horizontal upper wall forming a deck 12. Deck 12, adjacent one end of the hose, is formed with a generally rectangular opening 13 in which is removably positioned a basin'14 adapted to contain water so as to simulate a swimming pool. Deck 12 may be slightly depressed about the edges of opening 13 to form a recessed ledge 15 for supporting engagement with a peripheral lip or flange 16 about the upper rim of basin 14.

Base 10 may be of plastic or metallic material and may be formed in a simple one step stamping and forming operation or by a molding operation. Basin 14 may likewise be of plastic or metallic material and may be formed in the same manner as the base. The removability of the basin from the base is advantageous from the standpoint of filling the former with water. In the alternative, of course, the pool may be fomed integrally with the basin.

If desired, deck 12 may be painted in the manner indicated to simulate tiles or other conventional coverings for swimming pool decks. Also, appurtenances (not shown) such as small tables, chairs, and umbrellas disposed about the deck and underwater, battery operated illumination for the basin may be provided, if desired, to increase the realistic efiect of the toy.

Removably affixed to deck 12, adjacent the other end of base 10, as by screws 17, is a guide member 18 of generally channel shape construction. The lower portion 19 of the Web of the channel is generally planar and disposed in a plane substantially normal to deck 12 and to the longitudinal axis of base 10. This planar portion of the web merges at its upper end with an arcuate web 2. portion 20 which overhangs the basin 14,. the free end of the arcuate portion curving downwardly slightly toward 'the basin, as shown.

Fixed to deck 12, at said other end of the base 10, and in alinement with guide member 18, is a support 21 to the upper face of which is secured one end of a leaf spring 22. The opposite end 22' of the: spring extends through a vertically elongated opening 23 in a bifurcated lower end of the web of guide member 18, the normal untensioned position of the spring being indicated in phantom lines.

A catch 24, pivoted to the underside of deck 12 and extending upwardly through a slot 25 in the latter, is adapted to be engaged over the adjacent end of the spring for releasably retaining the latter in its tensioned position shown in solid lines. A catch operating rod 26 is connected at one end to the catch and has its other end extcneding exteriorly of the base through a vertical end wall of the latter. The exterior end of the rod mounts an operating knob or handle 27, the arrangement being such that catch 24 may be pivoted to its spring releasing position by pulling on the knob 27. A spring 28 serves to normally bias the catch to its spring engaging position.

In operation, a doll 29 is supported in an erect position on the free end 22 of leaf spring 22 with the latter retained in its tensioned position. Knob 27 is pulled to move catch 24 to its released position whereby the leaf spring 22 will project the doll upwardly, the web of the guide member 18 causing the doll to follow a curved trajectory and enter the water in basin 14 head first, as illustrated in Fig, 2.

Dolls for use with the present toy are preferably weighted in their feet, as indicated at 30 in Fig. 4, so that after entering the water they will float in an upright position. The waves produced upon entrance of the doll into the water will cause the upright doll to bob up and down' in a manner simulating a person walking through the water to the side of a pool. For compact storage or packaging, guide member 18 may be removed and, positioned within the under side of the base.

Obviously many modifications of the invention are possible within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A toy of the class described comprising: a hollow rectangular supporting base including a normally horizontal upper deck and vertical side walls, said deck having a generally rectangular opening therethrough adjacent one end of the base, a generally rectangular, upwardly opening basin supported in said opening with its rim substantially in the plane of said deck and adapted to contain water whereby to simulate a swimming pool, a supporting member fixed to said deck adjacent the other end of the base, a leaf spring fixed at one end to said member and having its free end disposed adjacent the rim of said basin, said spring in its untensioned condition being spaced from and substantially parallel to the deck, a catch pivoted to theunder side of said deck and having a portion extending above the deck through a slot therein for releasable engagement in its latching position with the free end of the spring to retain the latter in a tensioned condition with its free end portion deflected toward the deck, means extending exteriorly of the base for operating said catch to its spring releasing position, resilient means for biasing the catch to its latching position, a guide member removably fixed to the deck and overlying the free end of the spring, said guide member including a lower, normally vertical guiding surface merging with an upper arcute guiding surface curving first upwardly and then downwardly in the direction of said basin, the free end of the spring being adapted in the tensioned condition of the latter to have a doll supported in a standing position thereon, said doll being adapted to be projected J upwardly upon release of said catch and to be guided along an arcuate trajectory into said basin by said guide member whereby to simulate a dive.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 wherein said guide member is formed with an elongated bifurcated base portion straddling said spring.

3. A toy of the class described, comprising a supporting base, a basin on said base having an open, normally upper side, said basin being adapted to be filled with water, an upstanding guide on said base, said guide being formed with a guide surface having a normally upper free end spaced a substantial distance above said basin, said guide surface including a normally lower, generally vertical sur face portion facing in the direction of said basin, said lower surface portion continuing at its normally upper end in a concave surface portion curving in said direction and extending to said free end of said guide surface, a plane of tangency to said free end of said guide surface being inclined in said direction relative to a plane passing through said free end of the guide surface parallel to said lower surface portion, means for propelling a free body upwardly along and beyond the free end of said guide surface, and at least a portion of said basin being located in said direction from said latter plane for receiving a free body propelled by said means.

4. The subject matter of claim 3 wherein said guide has a normally upper free end coincident with said free end of said guide surface.

5. The subject matter of claim 3 wherein said free end of said guide surface curves slightly toward said basin whereby a body propelled along said guide surface is terminally guided along a trajectory curving toward said basin.

6. The subject matter of claim 3 wherein said basin is removable to facilitate filling thereof with water.

7. The subject matter of claim 3 wherein said means comprises a leaf spring fixed at one end to said base and having its other end located in close proximity to the normally lower end of said lower surface portion, said other end of said spring being adapted to support said free body and being depressible toward said base to tense the spring, and manually operable means for releaseably retaining said spring in tensed conditon, said spring when released propelling a free body supported thereon upwardly along said guide surface.

8. The subject matter of claim 3 wherein said means comprises a leaf spring fixed at one end to said base on the side of said lower surface portion remote from said basin, the other end of said spring extending through an opening in said lower surface portion to the other side of the latter for supporting said free body in close proximity to said lower surface portion.

9. A toy of the class described, comprising a supporting base, a basin on said base for containing water, said basin having an open, normally upper side and including side walls having normally upper edges bounding said open side and located in a given first plane, an upstanding guide on said base, said guide being formed with a guide surface having a normally upper free end spaced a substantial distance above said plane, said guide surface including a normally lower surface portion substantially normal to said plane and facing in the direction of said basin, said surface portion continuing at its normally upper end in a concave surface portion curving in said direction and extending to said free end of said guide surface, a second plane of tangency to said free end of said guide surface being inclined in said direction relative to a third plane passing through said free end of the guide surface normal to said first plane, means for propelling a free body upwardly along and beyond the free end of said guide surface, and at least a portion of said basin being located in said direction from said third plane for receiving a free body propelled by said means.

10. The subject matter of claim 9 wherein said base includes an upper panel surrounding said basin and lo cated substantially in said first plane whereby to simulate a swimming pool and a deck thereabout.

11. The subject matter of claim 9 wherein said base includes an upper panel surrounding said basin and located substantially in said first plane, and said means includes a platform for supporting said free body and initially positionable substantially fiat against said panel, and yieldable means for propelling said platform away from said panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 667,751 Waller Feb. 12, 1901 941,334 McLean Nov. 23, 1909 1,523,989 Wright Jan. 20, 1925 1,757,002 Brown May 6, 1930 2,345,243 Eakin Mar. 28, 1944 2,513,667 Olson July 4, 1950 2,656,644 Wittry Oct. 27, 1953 2,675,238 Leaf Apr. 13, 1954 

